Marketplace

The curtain came down Sunday, January 19th, on the most successful Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in history. The FOX televised, eight-day event, sometimes called the “world’s greatest reality show,” was hosted in Barrett-Jackson’s brand new bricks and mortar facility with much improved space and amenities, a building that was completed in only eleven months time and completed only days before the auction start on Sunday, January 12th. Barrett-Jackson’s former main auction tent, the largest tent in the world, was connected to the new permanent auction building and created an impressive almost mile long facility from one end to the other.

All Corvette enthusiast eyes were on Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale Saturday afternoon in expectation for some record setting prices. If you have been following CorvetteBlogger’s updates on this week’s Barrett-Jackson auction extravaganza, you know that their 2014 event has gotten off to a strong start with attendance up 30% through Thursday and sales exceeding last year by over 8%.

Saturday is traditionally when the best of the best collector cars cross the block and in the late afternoon within a little over one hour six Corvette lot numbers sold for a combined total of $8.63M including bidder fees. These included some of the best known and important Corvettes.

But the real star of the afternoon was a 1967 second generation L88 coupe we called the “crown jewel” of Corvettes in an article back in November, one of only twenty Corvette L88 coupes built that year. Within a few minutes of the famous “Rebel” racecar selling for $2.86M (including buyer’s premium), the 1967 L88 red/red award-winning coupe set a new world’s record for a Corvette sold at auction when it hammered for $3.5M ($3.85M including buyer’s fees). The bidding quickly rose to $2M then surpassed the former record price of $3.2M set by another 1967 L88 last September by almost 10%. When the reserve was lifted the car sold setting a new world’s record Corvette auction record.

Traditionally Thursday at Barrett-Jackson’s eight day collector car auction is a transitional day that bridges the gap between the early “bargain days” where many entry level, “small cap” collector cars are featured and the more expensive “blue chip” high dollar cars which cross the block on Friday through Saturday. This year has proved to be the strongest start to Barrett-Jackson’s auction extravaganza where over 1300 cars will cross the block over the course of the auction.

The 2014 auction season is off and running and if the first few days’ results are any indication this year is going to set records in prices and attendance. Barrett-Jackson kicked off the season on Sunday, January 12th, with their legendary auction extravaganza and so far have seen attendance jump by 25%. In addition the prices paid have set a precedent for the highest for initial first few days, days traditionally know for “bargains”.

One of the content features on CorvetteBlogger throughout our eight plus years of blogging about America’s favorite sports car has been tracking the monthly sales of new Corvettes. But last year we sort of got away from that when the assembly plant shut down as it prepared to build the new 2014 Corvette Stingray.

So here is a recap of the monthly sales of Corvettes in 2013 and then each month moving forward we’ll be back to our regular schedule of bringing you the previous month’s official sales numbers from Chevrolet, along with our award-winning and slightly-biased analysis.

Back in 2009 we first told you about Rod Saboury’s wicked street legal 1963 Corvette drag car. The 2,600 hp monster will run the quarter mile in a mere 6.75 seconds at 209 mph. Then, in late 2012, the car showed up on eBay where it failed to sell in October. Now you’ve got another chance to score this sick whip when it crosses the Barrett-Jackson auction block next week in Scottsdale, Az.

The list of significant Corvettes being offered at the January auctions next month continues to grow. Next up is this very rare red on red 1971 LS6 convertible which will be crossing Russo and Steele’s auction block in January. It is believed that this car is the only red on red LS6 roadster ever built.

Charles D. Fowler, III: I stopped subsribing to both after many years, and within a year or two of even having a “feature” article accepted and published, after meeting Corvette Fever execs at Carlisle. With the merger, I...

Jeff McKay: I also asked a local dealer and they knew nothing about it. How do I order it myself? I think that would be faster than trying to convince them they should know about it.

CrystalKnight: I have always loved the 63, one of my favorite classics of all time, and I have had a many sports cars…, owned and loved the C5 even though it was heavy and underpowered, owned and loved the C6 convertible. ….I...

CrystalKnight: I have always loved the 63, one of my favorite classics of all time, and I have had a many sports cars…, owned and loved the C5 even though it was heavy and underpowered, owned and loved the C6 convertible. ….I...

tonyman262: I have an 89 C4 & an 07 C6, both white. After seeing the CUE system; the daughter may get the 07, I NEED a C7 with the CUE system. The 89 C4 stays with me. The C7 (artic white of course) could just end up being the new...